Academy of Technology & Innovation opens at Mary Washington campus in Stafford

The Academy of Technology and Innovation at the University of Mary Washington (ATI-UMW) opened its doors to its first cohort of high-schoolers last month, but the Sept. 22 dedication ceremony made it official.

“What you all will do is provide the leadership of tomorrow, and the commonwealth is so much better because of it,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told students and their families who gathered, along with legislators, community officials, school board members and more, at the new regional lab school on UMW’s Stafford Campus.

“You all are taking on a moment of acceleration in your lives, and that is what gets us so excited, not because of what we’re doing today but what we anticipate you all will do tomorrow … I can’t wait to see where you all will lead Virginia,” Youngkin was quoted as saying in a news release.

Youngkin joined students in cutting the ceremonial ribbon, recognizing the inaugural year of the regional lab school that welcomed 80 high school freshmen from the City of Fredericksburg, as well as Caroline, King George, Orange and Stafford counties on the first day of classes last month. A string of speakers at the Sept. 22 event praised partnerships, perseverance and the courage to say “yes” for bringing the vision to reality.